YALE-NEABPD 2026 CONFERENCE
Stronger Together: Advancing Care, Connection, and Hope
Presented by Yale School of Medicine and BPD Alliance
Friday, October 2, 2026
9:00 AM–6:00 PM ET
Virtual Conference + Watch Party Locations Across the United States
This full-day program will examine current research and evidence-informed approaches to BPD and consider how that knowledge can be applied in clinical care, family relationships, and everyday interactions.
Participants will hear from experts in mentalization, validation, skills-based interventions, neuroscience, couples work, and related areas, alongside perspectives from people with lived experience and family members.
2026 Conference Program
All times Eastern
Program and presenters are subject to change
Registration Opens
Exhibit Hall Opens
In-person watch party locations only
9:45 AM
Opening Remarks
Yale and NEABPD / BPD Alliance
10:00 AM
Lived Experience and Family Member Perspectives
10:30 AM
Keeping Minds in Mind: Mentalization Skills for Stronger Connections
Christella Dwyer
An introduction to mentalization skills and their use in understanding ourselves and other people more accurately, particularly during emotionally intense interactions.
11:30 AM
Break
The Science and Practice of Validation: What Decades of Research Tells Us About Supporting People with Chronic Emotion Dysregulation
Alan Fruzzetti
This session will examine the research behind validation and its practical application when supporting people who experience chronic emotion dysregulation.
12:45 PM
Lunch, Exhibit Hall and Poster Session
1:45 PM
The Power of Skills: Changing Relationships One Interaction at a Time
Marie-Paule de Valdivia
A skills-focused session examining ways everyday interactions can influence relationships and support healthier communication.
2:45 PM
Lightning Round
Brief presentations featuring clinical and lived-experience perspectives.
Break and Exhibit Hall
3:30 PM
The Brain, BPD, and the Family: What Science Is Teaching Us About Risk and Resilience
Anthony Ruocco
An examination of current scientific findings related to BPD, the brain, family factors, risk, and resilience.
4:30 PM
Us Against the Pattern: Helping Couples Navigate Emotion Dysregulation Together
John Mader
A session focused on helping couples understand and respond to emotion dysregulation while strengthening their ability to work together.
5:30 PM
Closing Remarks and Awards
6:00 PM
Conference Concludes
Who Should Attend?
Attendees may include:
-
- People with lived experience
- Family members and loved ones
- Psychiatrists and other physicians
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Counselors
- Marriage and family therapists
- Nurses
- Other behavioral health and medical professionals
- Clinicians in training
- Researchers
- Students
- Professionals whose work involves people affected by BPD or significant emotion dysregulation
General Registration
Attend the Conference Online or at a Local Public Watch Party, where available.
General Registration: $25
Scholarships are available for attendees who need financial assistance. Email us for more information.
Continuing Education
Continuing education registration will be available for eligible professionals including doctors, nurses, psychologists and social workers.
The conference is designed to help professionals translate contemporary research into thoughtful, evidence-informed clinical practice. Presentations will address BPD assessment and treatment, chronic emotion dysregulation, communication and validation, interpersonal difficulties, risk and resilience, and support for individuals and families.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the conference, participants will be able to:
- Describe current research and clinical perspectives on borderline personality disorder, chronic emotion dysregulation, and factors associated with risk and resilience.
- Identify mentalization and validation strategies that can improve communication, strengthen relationships, and support people experiencing chronic emotion dysregulation.
- Apply evidence-informed, skills-based strategies to address maladaptive interpersonal behaviors and enhance interactions among people with BPD, family members, and couples.
- Integrate research findings, clinical perspectives, and lived-experience perspectives into person-centered and family-informed approaches to supporting people with BPD and their loved ones.
Continuing Education Registration: $150
Presented in Collaboration With
Yale School of Medicine
Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital
Yale Instruction/Investigation/Intervention in Emotional Lability and Dysregulation
SPONSORS
Compass Behavioral Health
